RITINJALI CENTRE KUSUMPUR PAHARI (New Delhi)

The Kusumpur Pahari slum area, located behind the CBI colony in Vasant Vihar is inhabited by more than two lakh migrant families. They mainly comprise domestic workers, labourers, painters and masons.

Ritinjali runs three Learning Centres at Kusumpur Pahari, which are operated under the UEE (Universalization of Elementary Education) Mission . We also run two Vocational Centres for girls. These centres impart training in Beauty Culture and Health Care as well as Tailoring.

The centres at Kusumpur Pahari function from 7.30 a.m. till 9.00 p.m. every day. In the morning and evening, local youth from the community use the Gym facility. Classes are conducted for the children from 9.00 a.m. till 1.00 p.m. The Adult Education classes for women are conducted after 1.00 p.m. They are taught Math, Reading and Writing, to enable them to count money and write their names. In the afternoon, teenage girls from the community come to study at our Centers. Some of them have also appeared for examinations conducted by the NIOS.

At the three Learning Centres in Kusumpur Pahari, we groom those children who have either never gone to school or have dropped out from school. The prescribed academic curriculum is strengthened with an interactive learning programme that includes games, music, theatre and arts. Our objective is to prepare them for admission into schools run by the MCD and NDMC. We have divided the three centers on the basis of the children's age and level of knowledge. Each center consists of about 40 students.

The staff at Kusumpur Pahari actively carries out mobilization within the community to combat the issue. The children are also taken out on excursions regularly as experiential learning is an integral part of the curriculum.

The women of the community are also encouraged to join the 2 Vocational Centres and enroll in the Tailoring course to stitch bags, cushion covers and quilts and generate income for themselves and their families. A Beauty Culture and Health Care course is also conducted for them.

A health programme, for the students of the Centre and the community, is also being implemented in collaboration with Ranbaxy. .